Map09 - Research and Decay
Research and Decay Research and Decay is the ninth map of Hedon, returning the player to Valc's bowels after a violent elevator crash. After being far outside her home town just minutes before, Zan soon ended up very close to her goal - the Lancer Temple - located deep inside the mountain, in Lower Valc. The elevator hub to Icepeak was built right next to the third portal of the town (the other two being in the Forge and Grove) to ease transport of heavy goods to and from the Iron Division's Dwarven allies. During the Cultist invasion, Dura and her squad used the portal to quickly get from the Barracks to the lower part of town where the Lancer Temple is located, holding behind the Crystal Heart. The player can see this through heavy signs of fighting, as well as another blob of Lith's corruption which was probably sapped by the Orcs who destroyed the hearts pumping it alive. Much like Zan in the Grove, though, some of Dura's squad was less fortunate with the portal malfunctioning and spitting them out in the wrong place. The player can also reach this place by using the noclip cheat to use the Forge Portal while it's up, but Tiati executes Zan, suspecting her to be in league with Nithriel, thus quickly ending her journey. The transport hub is connected to a large cave in the lowest part of Valc. Because of the Cultist sappers caving in the main route, a large portion of town between here (mostly containing the housing district) and the Plaza has become inaccessible. At the very end of the cave, a bridge crossing over an underground river leads up to the gate to the Lancer Temple. Another nearby point of interest is the Witch Clinic across the road. Witch Clinic The Witch Clinic acts as Valc's hospital. What cannot be healed by an Earth Mother through magic is usually done through surgery and alchemy here. Captain Dura herself had to leave her Mining Outpost and travel here to get her finger reattached after an accident. In addition to this, Witches can also provide more luxurious service such as esthetic treatment or biological augmentations, having little restraint when asked to put their latest experiments to use. Reception Hall A large statue of a Witch holding a vial welcomes every visitor into the Reception Hall. Behind it, a desk keeps track of the visitors and their medical needs. The establishment is unusually elegant, paved with red carpets, dark marble and obsidian and lit with eerie braziers holding glowing crystal powder. To the left, a generous recreation area overlooks the entrance to the Lancer Temple. Council Room Behind the main desk, a pair of stairs lead up to a restricted area containing the administrative quarters and the airlock to the Clinic's Research Labs. Much like the other castes, Witches have their own Council Room, which is also serving as a library when administrative matters are not being discussed. The player can find a miniature of Outpost 3 on the table, similar to the one found in the Reaver Headquarters' Council Room, along with a briefing detailing the first phase of the Iron Division Campaign. At one end of the room is a pantry which leads to the kitchen, serving both the staff and the patients. At the other end, across a small hall is the Chieftain-Adjunct's Office. Lith's Office Chieftain Zura appointed Lith as her adjunct in order to have her manage the Clinic and thus allow her exclusive focus on leading the research operations. Lith benefits from her own office where she signs papers and keeps records in a small archive. This is also where the player finds her journal which incriminates her and details the beginning of her mental decay as she fell under Nithriel's influence. Operating Rooms On the right side of the Reception Hall is a corridor leading to several operation rooms. This is where the patients are brought and Witches get to put their skills to work, with the aid of various equipment. The Operation Rooms are also coupled with their own storage, as well as the room and gear required to quickly prepare certain substances. Patient Room A common Patient Room lies right next to the Operation Rooms, serving as both a dormitory and a dining room for the patients staying over at the Clinic. After taking over the Clinic, Lith used this room to feed the dead staff to her Crawlers. The player can also find heavy masses of corruption encroaching the nearby bathroom, a small dark path leading towards the Sewage Room beneath. Sewage Room With Valc being gradually equipped with plumbing systems, a waste collection plan had to be elaborated. Scattered behind thick walls, various room aid in the collection and evacuation of sewage. This particular room was used by Lith to hide while working on the corruption organism and researching ways to help it grow and expand. The player is required to cross this area in order to bypass the access airlock to the Research labs. Research Labs The Clinic only represents half of the facility, with the Research Labs being built behind it, and used by the Witches to further their technology and scientific skill. The area is restricted to authorized personnel and special visitors, usually including Lancers coming to inspect the newest creations of their bold and often unethical sisters. The labs feature several wings specialized in the research of various fields. Flora Research Connected to the Sewage Room through a couple of aquariums, the Flora Research is where Witches observe the natural development of vegetation and related organisms. Their observations often include mutations and alchemy being applied to mundane plant specimens in order to enhance them in various ways. Alchemy Research One of the main points of interest of the Labs is the Alchemy Research wing which is filled with all kinds of equipment needed to concoct any substance known to the Iron Division. Witches also work here to produce goods like pigments and silk but most importantly beneficial potions such as the healing potions. A powerful mixing machine (known as the "Universal Alchemist") is also used to produce other beneficial potions for the Division, such as the Vial of Healing, Potion of Haste, Potion of Stoneskin or Potion of Might. This is also where Zan can accidentally create the Mystery Potion when mixing in every reagent possible. Specimen Research Witches are known for having a questionable morality, but the Iron Division usually condones their practices as long as they lead to a conclusive benefit for the society. Located at the end of the recreation hallway between the secure airlock, Flora and Alchemy Research rooms, the Specimen Research wing is often a source of gruesome sights. Witches pour, cut and stitch here all day long, turning their unfortunate victims (usually convicts or war prisoners) into steps toward improving their medical knowledge and biological augmentation techniques. After Lith took control of the facility, Nithriel offered her many Cultists to experiment on and improve her Golem design. They were locked in the cells linking the back of the Alchemy Research to the operation room of the Specimen Research. Weapons Research With the Clinic employing numerous Goblin Fixers to aid the Orcs in their daily workflow, the Labs undergoing Weapons Research were eventually equipped with a small workshop where Fixers and Witches could work together on developing and perfecting certain weapons, more specifically the Potion Launcher (this is also where the potion projectiles are produced and tested). Chieftan Zura usually directs the activity of the wing in person, especially as it is quite close to her personal Head Lab. Head Lab The Head Lab is where the caste's chieftain takes office and performs top secret research. Lith eventually took the lab over from Zura, locking her in one of her experimental tanks before moving on to cultivate her corruption here, away from the Sewage Room. Zan ends up in the same position, but Tiati's timely intervention saves her life. Once she takes the key to the Lancer Temple from here, Zan fights her way out of the chaos ensuing after Lith's execution, eventually escaping the Clinic and making her way towards the Crystal Heart.